Puri Taman Ujung.(Water Palace or: Royal Summer Palace).Atop green and gold hills, with the lavender silhouette of Gunung Agung in the distance, the last Garden Temple quietly
glows in the afternoon sunlight.

This elegant complex is one of three water palaces built by king Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem as a retreat for his
family, build between 1919 and 1921. It orriginally was centered on a large enclosed bale of stucco and stained glass, with
smaller open paviljons and a large pond around it.

Most of the complex was destroyed in the 1963 eruption of Gunung Agung and the earthquakes in 1978. Long time you could still
wander among the statues and between the gostly pillars and arches.
With help of the Dutch, the palace is renovated and re-opened again in 2006.

HISTORY.Civil wars broke out on Bali between 1884 and 1904, and distracted kingdoms missed the warning signs of Western ambitions
for their island. At first the continued presence and trade footholds of the Dutch, whose explorers first arrived on Bali in
1597, were readily accepted by local rulers. In 1849, after three battles in three years, the Dutch finally conquered north
Bali, but it was'nt until they added Karangasem-ruled Lombok to their domain in 1894 that the eastern region perceived the
real threat to their own kingdom.

By the turn of the 20th century the Dutch had a firm grip on Gianyar and Karangasem -but the Balinese ruling families refused
to concede power, leading to the horrifying puputan (mass suicides) of Badung in 1906 and Klungkung in 1908.
In the next 30 years the Dutch focused on the opposing interests of promoting Bali as a tourist destination and of keeping
hold of their territory during World War I and II. When the Japanese arrived with promises of freedom, Bali -like the rest of
the Indonesian islands- sided with its Asian neighbor, and the Dutch were dumped from the archipelago in 1942. On August 17
of that same year Bali was instituted as a part of the republic of Indonesia, and the power of the island's eastern kingdoms
was once again recognized within the larger span of the nation.

YES, somehow, through all the chaos and changes in power, the cultures of central and eastern Bali have managed to maintain
their identities.
And though the region has since exploded with tourism, its focus has remained true to its origin: live a life with respect to
the gods, be a good example for your family and village, and have a responsible existence in order that your next one might
be better.

GUNUNG KAWI.On the way down the 315 steps, you reach a stone archway that has been carved out of the rock. You will be instructed to
stop, bless yourself with holy water from the pot and continue. There are 4 Queen’s Tombs which were maybe for King Anak
Wungsu’s attendants.

There are 5 Royal Tombs across the narrow river, which are thought to be for the king himself and his 4 favourite wives.
There is a Tenth Tomb that you can visit on your way out, which is believed to be an important figure in the royal court who
passed away after king Anak Wungsu.

Our visit Authum 2008.

Time/weather Amsterdam

Time/weather
Denpasar - Bali

The Village Board of Kuta does not allow more new hotels be build. Expansion of this famous touristic village takes place in
the direction
of Tuban, since 2 years named as South Kuta. Futher expansion, from now on, has to take place in South Bali, fi. in Jimbaran.
The 'Royal Towers' is the last new hotel build in Tuban and the Holliday Inn is renovated and named as "Baruna Bali'.
Sand suppletion took place on Segara Beach from the Airport upto Kuta Beach, completed with a footpath.

The wider beach with a footpath
from South Kuta to Kuta Beach.
---->

<----
View on the appartment complex
adjoining the Risata Resort & Spa.
The noise the builders made, lead
to a lot of complains of the quests.

A local company are building the "Royal Towers",
an appartment complex, which is advertising with the Risata-garden as a view from the balconies.Click picture of the Royal Towers, at the left,
for a bird-view around the Risata Resort.
<<<<<<<<<
Marcha Suswanto is working for PT.Beton Konstruksi Wijaksana on this project. He is responsible for the reininforcement. We
met him opposite Risata Hotel,
in the shop of his parents.

<----
A trip to renovated
Pura Tanah Lot.

Visiting, with Dutch help,
the renovated, Water Palace
Taman Ujung.
Now "Royal Summer
Palace".See the column at the left
for an updated story.
---->

70-year birthday party at Risata Bali Resort.

Flowers from her friends from Melbourne, Raymond & Michael, 3 feet high !!!!

Jusdex and Ananda nicely dressed for Oma's party

Thank you Risata staff, for an exellent setting.For more photo's see birthday album.

Pictures of a seventy year birthday party at the Risata Bali Resort.

<----
Us, with our Bali-family at the party
at Risata Bali Resort & Spa.

With the Risata management,
Seiko, Mrs.Dyanti A. Mugijanto
and her daughter, Eda and Ira.
---->

Our trips and visits during our stay.

At the right:
Visiting Ngurah Arsar (Rai) at Dalun-Tabanan.

At the left:
A visit to our Australian friends Ray and Michael, at the Villa in Candidasa.

<----
Lock in the irrigation system build
by the Dutch in the colonial time.
More then 100 steps down to the
river. The waterlevel in the
ricefields is controlled by 3 locks.
Difference in level is up to 15 feet.
Location: Bukit - Tampaksiring.

Visiting an ex staff member of --->
Risata, Sujana and family, in Sanur

At last, but not least: Mr. Cees's Partyfor all his Bali friends.

Ketut, our cab driver.

Tampaksiring.
The Gunung Kawi Temple is not just
a temple but is a fascinating early Balinese religious site. To reach Candi Gunung Kawi you have to walk down on 315 stone
steps.
The main temple is across of the river and the scenery around the complex is pretty with rice fields in view.
<-- Down
Up -->

The monuments are hewn in relief on a solid rock hill commonly call candi. There
are shaped like burial towers found all over Central and East Java. There are many theories telling identity of the royal
personages honoured here. One very credible theory suggests the five ‘candi’ in the main group were built for King
Udayana, his Javanese queen Gunapriya, his concubine, his eldest son Airlangga who ruled over East Java, and his youngest son
Anak Wungsu. Reigning over Bali from AD 1050 to 1077, Anak Wungsu is believed to have given up his kingdom to become a
religious hermit. However, archeologists have never found any evidence that anyone was actually buried at Gunung Kawi, the candi which were all complete
with false doors possibly just an indicator that proper observance had been undertaken. At the right of the main ensemble of
temples is a cloister with five cells carved out of rock. The cloister inmates most likely were caretakers of the
‘candi’. There’s a second hermitage near the main cloister, consisting of niches around a central courtyard, which
might have served as sleeping quarters for visiting pilgrims.
To get into this part of the temple visitors must take of their shoes.